John Lobb Philip II Oxford vs Gaziano & Girling Deco

John Lobb Philip II Oxford vs Gaziano & Girling Deco: which one should you buy?

Quick answer

Buy the John Lobb Philip II Oxford if you want the definitive plain oxford. Buy the Gaziano & Girling Deco instead if you want peak RTW.

By Opulique Editorial Team Updated November 6, 2026 1 min read

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Buy

John Lobb Philip II Oxford

Best for Plain oxford

Typically $1,900–$2,200

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Buy

Gaziano & Girling Deco

Best for Deco

Typically $2,600–$3,200

Check Price on Amazon Paid link

Quick comparison

Feature	John Lobb Philip II Oxford	Gaziano & Girling Deco
Verdict	Buy	Buy
Typical price	$1,900–$2,200	$2,600–$3,200
Best for	Plain oxford	Deco
Key feature	Classic plain-toe oxford	Deco line
Material	Calf leather	Calf leather
Sole	Leather, Goodyear welted	Leather, Goodyear welted
Fit	True to size	True to size
Made in	England	England
Where to buy	Check Price Paid link	Check Price Paid link

Main differences

Material

John Lobb Philip II Oxford: Calf leather; Gaziano & Girling Deco: Calf leather.

Sole

John Lobb Philip II Oxford: Leather, Goodyear welted; Gaziano & Girling Deco: Leather, Goodyear welted.

Fit

John Lobb Philip II Oxford: True to size; Gaziano & Girling Deco: True to size.

Made in

John Lobb Philip II Oxford: England; Gaziano & Girling Deco: England.

Why buy it

John Lobb Philip II Oxford: classic plain-toe oxford; Gaziano & Girling Deco: deco line.

Made for

John Lobb Philip II Oxford: plain oxford; Gaziano & Girling Deco: deco.

Usual price

John Lobb Philip II Oxford: $1,900–$2,200; Gaziano & Girling Deco: $2,600–$3,200.

Which should you choose?

Choose the John Lobb Philip II Oxford if you

you want the definitive plain oxford
value superb

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Choose the Gaziano & Girling Deco if you

you want peak RTW
value exceptional

Check Price Paid link

If neither feels right

Neither is the only answer. See every piece we would buy (and the ones we would skip) in our list of the best men’s dress shoes.

Not sure about either? Consider these

John Lobb · Men’s dress shoes

John Lobb City II Oxford

Buy it if you want the reference formal oxford.

Verdict: Buy
Best for: Benchmark oxford
Typical price: $1,795–$2,100

Pros

Superb craft
Resoleable

Cons

Expensive

Check Price on Amazon Paid linkRead our review

Edward Green · Men’s dress shoes

Edward Green Chelsea 202

Buy it if you want handmade English elegance.

Verdict: Buy
Best for: Connoisseur pick
Typical price: $1,500–$1,700

Pros

Excellent finishing
Resoleable

Cons

Pricey

Check Price on Amazon Paid linkRead our review

Frequently asked questions

John Lobb Philip II Oxford or Gaziano & Girling Deco: which should I buy?

Buy the John Lobb Philip II Oxford if you want the definitive plain oxford. Buy the Gaziano & Girling Deco instead if you want peak RTW.

Is the price difference worth it?

The John Lobb Philip II Oxford usually costs $1,900–$2,200 and the Gaziano & Girling Deco $2,600–$3,200. Pay more only if the differences above matter to you.

Opulique Editorial Team

Part of the Opulique research team. We compare specifications, documentation and real-world trade-offs so you can decide faster.

How we research products Editorial policy

John Lobb Philip II Oxford or Gaziano & Girling Deco: the full reasoning

John Lobb Philip II Oxford or Gaziano & Girling Deco? Both are strong men’s dress shoes, which is exactly why the choice is hard. The short version first: buy the John Lobb Philip II Oxford if you want the definitive plain oxford, and buy the Gaziano & Girling Deco if you want peak RTW. The rest of this page explains why, with usual US prices.

Where they differ

The John Lobb Philip II Oxford wins on classic plain-toe oxford. The Gaziano & Girling Deco answers with deco line. Material: Calf leather on the John Lobb Philip II Oxford, Calf leather on the Gaziano & Girling Deco. Sole: Leather, Goodyear welted on the John Lobb Philip II Oxford, Leather, Goodyear welted on the Gaziano & Girling Deco. Fit: True to size on the John Lobb Philip II Oxford, True to size on the Gaziano & Girling Deco. Made in: England on the John Lobb Philip II Oxford, England on the Gaziano & Girling Deco.

Reasons to buy the John Lobb Philip II Oxford

Superb, Resoleable. What to accept: pricey. Usual price: $1,900–$2,200. Our verdict: buy. Read the full John Lobb Philip II Oxford review.

Reasons to buy the Gaziano & Girling Deco

Exceptional. What to accept: expensive. Usual price: $2,600–$3,200. Our verdict: buy. Read the full Gaziano & Girling Deco review.

Neither one?

Our list of the best men’s dress shoes has every other piece with its own call. Construction: Goodyear-welted and hand-welted shoes can be resoled many times; Blake-stitched shoes are sleeker but resole fewer times.

Also consider the John Lobb City II Oxford ($1,795–$2,100): classic cap-toe oxford, Goodyear welted in Northampton. Buy it if you want the reference formal oxford.

Also consider the Edward Green Chelsea 202 ($1,500–$1,700): cap-toe oxford on the 202 last. Buy it if you want handmade English elegance.

Buyer tip

Fit shoes in the afternoon, when feet are largest, and wear them with the socks you will use. Shoe trees in cedar double the life of good shoes.

Buying in Europe: Italian and French sizes are used on most designer shoes, and they differ from US sizes by brand. Check the house’s own size chart, and remember that many Italian brands run about half a size small.

Luxury prices move in a different rhythm from everyday shopping. The great houses (Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Dior, Rolex) raise prices once or twice a year, often in January and in spring, and almost never discount their icons. Seasonal pieces, colors and many shoes, coats and knitwear drop 30–50% in the end-of-season sales in January and from late June. Watches from brands such as Omega, TAG Heuer, Longines and Breitling, and most fragrance, see the best prices around Prime Day and Black Friday. Judge any deal against the usual price we show.